A big thankyou to Garry Holloway (pictures included)

[asblackrock]

I recently purchased a 25th anniversary diamond and left it with Garry Holloway (“cut nut”) to be set. His team at Precious Metals in Melbourne Australia has won numerous Australian and international design awards (on this forum he is known for “spreading the word” about well cut diamonds and he very modestly keeps quiet about some of his other achievements). Having the opportunity to inspect the workmanship firsthand, I very comfortably left my diamond with him two weeks ago. No indecision with this bit.

I am thrilled with the result. Thank you to Garry, Lisa and all of the staff. Big thanks especially to Johnny, who made the setting. He is truly a master craftsman. I am very grateful for a superb job where a lot of care was taken.

The threads regarding my purchasing experience, including more pictures are:
Overexcited about my MDX purchase
Santa has arrived early in Australia
Angela'a attempts to photograph her diamond

Sorry, I haven't worked out yet how to attach links

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Absolutely stunning.

Congratulations!

 

[asblackrock]

Hi Richard
I am just thrilled with the end result - non of the pictures do it justice.
I finished the story at the end of the thread "Santa has arrived early in Australia" where I wrote:

"Thank you also especially to everyone who took the trouble to post a reply when I originally bought the diamond and was anxiously waiting for it to arrive, wondering if I had made the right choice (eg Richard Sherwood, Belle, Fortheloveofdiamonds, Patty, Persistent, etc). It was an agonizing wait, particularly sight unseen for such an expensive purchase, so hearing from others was very comforting."

I very much appreciate your response when I was feeling anxious.
Thanks again.

 

[valeria101]

Hei! That's one serious ring

If this is good indication of what Garry's shop does...

Looks like vintage Tiffany to me.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Very nice indeed! Congrats!

cheers--Sharon

 

[belle]

angela, it is beautiful.....very elegant!

 

[JohnQuixote]

Linkage.

Overexcited about my MDX purchase

Santa has arrived early in Australia

Angela''s attempts to photograph her diamond

 

[Kamuelamom]

Date: 1/18/2005 12:38:32 AM
Author: JohnQuixote
Linkage.

Overexcited about my MDX purchase

Santa has arrived early in Australia

Angela''s attempts to photograph her diamond

Hey John, great job getting them all in one post.

 

[jadeleaves]

Date: 1/17/2005 9:52:54 PM
Author:asblackrock
Big thanks especially to Johnny, who made the setting. He is truly a master craftsman. I am very grateful for a superb job where a lot of care was taken.

I second that! Johnny made my eternity ring and 3 stone ring and he did a fantastic job on the 3 stone ring!

Congrats~ on a beautifully classic ring

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Hi all, the ring was custom made. It is just a simple 3 part platinum that is similar to a 2.6ct ring we have in stock - but the details were to Angela''s spec''s.

Johnny is a hulking great 6 foot 3 softie who is Armenian by ethnic origin. A fair % of the worlds jewellers are - it must be genetic!
Ialways amazes me that big strong manly "blokes" can make beautiful delicate jewel''s. I have employed a number of gay front of house guys over the years - but out of maybe 30 or 40 craftsmen, none have been even remotely gay. I always find that unusual.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

When i was in University doing my BSc Arch, one of our first year projects was a jewellers workshop, and i was able to visit one of my aunts friends who owns a Jewellers in Glasgow (Scotland - that little speck at the top of England for you Americans

*runs* ) and it was the same there - his wife was out front, and he, and his 2 co-workers in the workshop at the rear where all very stocky men.

And asblackrock, tis one nice ring, and with all that praise i can see Garry''s head expanding from here!

 

[perry]

Wow...

This is so good I have to spell it backwards: Wow

Perry

 

[asblackrock]

Hi Sir John
I repeat the message I posted on one of the other threads, in case you missed it:

Thank you for coming to my rescue once again!

I am slowly getting the hang of this “posting on a forum thing”. This time I could actually download photos from Garry’s email on my own and upload them onto my post by myself. I am slowly improving with all this new fangled technology. In time I may even learn to link threads!

Meanwhile every lady needs her knight in shining armour (or even Spaniard from La Mancha!).

PS Good job my John is so secure and not the jealous type!
OH NO! He is piping up next to me that he IS the jealous type. After 25 years I better watch out!

 

[asblackrock]

Ana, Sharon, Belle, the Scottish lad and Perry:
Thank you for taking the trouble to post comments. I just love the ring and can’t stop looking at it! Garry fully deserves to get a swollen head. I will try and take some hand shots tomorrow after work.


Jadeleaves:
I am not surprised you are happy with Johnny’s work too. The craftsmanship is absolutely superb and I am very “particular”. I am sure Gary would find a blunter way of putting this! I hunted for any threads providing feedback about the quality of work from Garry’s team, but did not find anything. Luckily a friend had recommended him and I was close enough to view his work in person before proceeding. Garry was great with design suggestions too and very flexible. I was amazed to find when I walked out of his store that I was opting for something different to my original decision of going for a design similar to the classic 6 prong “Tiffany setting”, which I had settled on earlier after a lot of looking. He was also very patient when I asked him to specify to the last fraction of a mm everything we had decided on. I have ended up with something a little unique, but still classically simple and to my eyes just stunning. I couldn’t be happier!

 

[DiamondsRagirlsbestfriend]

LOVELY!!!! The ring is beautiful on all accounts: the stone, the setting, the workmanship! A winner!

 

[fire&ice]

VERY Elegant!

 

[hoorray]

Beautiful ring! It''s nice to see some of Garry''s shop''s work. I''m betting you''ll be hooked once you start wearing that sparkler, and I see earrings in your not so distant future

.

 

[icekid]

wow, i loooove it! that setting is absolutely stunning... congrats!!

 

[bling]

i love it! what a gorgeous setting.. congrats to all!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 1/18/2005 7:39

6 AM
Author: asblackrock
I am not surprised you are happy with Johnny’s work too. The craftsmanship is absolutely superb and I am very “particular”. I am sure Gary would find a blunter way of putting this!

Actually Angela, when we designed the ring together, I knew it could be possible to spend 3 hours with you. I decided to give you the quick service - you never got the nice hand drawn sketch in the card to keep in your glory box. I owe ya that my darling

Because you went very directly to the first design idea - we never explored more - often I sense someone is not dead set on an idea and so i introduce some left field designs - that way I can test the clients resolve and certainty about what they originally had in their mind.

None of my staff are ever made to feel they have spent too long with a customer - that way people on both side s of the desk can relax and let the creative juices flow

- the rolly eyes is the closest thing to looking up to your right - when you are desiigning - if you look up to the right you will be flooded with ideas. (look up to the left for natural left handed people).

 

[asblackrock]

Hi Gary
I think we were just on the same wavelength. I didn’t need a nice picture – you were scribbling so much on that scrap of paper that I knew all the details would be right (unless you were just quietly making notes about your plans for the weekend!). As soon as I saw that ring you had with the open design, it was love at first sight - for me it was just the band which needed modifying.

I need to tell you that I have had a silly grin plastered on my face all day today! The workmanship in the ring is superb. It looked perfect to the naked eye when I picked it up, but of course when I got home yesterday I couldn’t resist pulling out a 20D lens and having a look at it at 5cm (2 inches). Today at work I even sneaked a peek with 30X magnification (I am a sucker for punishment). I don’t think many rings would stand up to this scrutiny! Everything is beautifully symmetrical, welds are perfect, the top ot the prongs hug the diamond beautifully and there is a high degree of polish, including the inside of the prongs.

The diamond has even been set with the arrows perfectly aligned as if on a compass rose, just like JohnQuixote’s avatar. I can see this easily unaided. Even a few rings I saw at Tiffany & Co had the diamond a bit haphazardly rotated, not the I could see any arrows there, it was just obvious that the edge of the table was not aligned with the setting. I would personally find this annoying. As you may have gathered, I am a perfectionist!

I also just love the beautiful view I get of the underside of the diamond when it is off my finger as well. A great open design. Mara asked if this was a “royal crown”. Do you know? I have not heard this term before.

Anyway, the ring sparkled at me and distracted me to no end all day. I had an embarrassing number of complements! When my nephew’s GF in NZ saw the photos, she said she will be lining up to see you when her engagement diamond is purchased later this year.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 1/19/2005 7:58:18 AM
Author: asblackrock

I need to tell you that I have had a silly grin plastered on my face all day today! The workmanship in the ring is superb. It looked perfect to the naked eye when I picked it up, but of course when I got home yesterday I couldn’t resist pulling out a 20D lens and having a look at it at 5cm (2 inches). Today at work I even sneaked a peek with 30X magnification (I am a sucker for punishment). I don’t think many rings would stand up to this scrutiny! Everything is beautifully symmetrical, welds are perfect, the top ot the prongs hug the diamond beautifully and there is a high degree of polish, including the inside of the prongs.

You are indeed the customer from Hell Angela

Cant help but

you!!!!

 

[belle]

Date: 1/19/2005 7:58:18 AM
Author: asblackrock
Hi Gary
I think we were just on the same wavelength. I didn’t need a nice picture – you were scribbling so much on that scrap of paper that I knew all the details would be right (unless you were just quietly making notes about your plans for the weekend!). As soon as I saw that ring you had with the open design, it was love at first sight - for me it was just the band which needed modifying.

I need to tell you that I have had a silly grin plastered on my face all day today! The workmanship in the ring is superb. It looked perfect to the naked eye when I picked it up, but of course when I got home yesterday I couldn’t resist pulling out a 20D lens and having a look at it at 5cm (2 inches). Today at work I even sneaked a peek with 30X magnification (I am a sucker for punishment). I don’t think many rings would stand up to this scrutiny! Everything is beautifully symmetrical, welds are perfect, the top ot the prongs hug the diamond beautifully and there is a high degree of polish, including the inside of the prongs.

The diamond has even been set with the arrows perfectly aligned as if on a compass rose, just like JohnQuixote’s avatar. I can see this easily unaided. Even a few rings I saw at Tiffany & Co had the diamond a bit haphazardly rotated, not the I could see any arrows there, it was just obvious that the edge of the table was not aligned with the setting. I would personally find this annoying. As you may have gathered, I am a perfectionist!

I also just love the beautiful view I get of the underside of the diamond when it is off my finger as well. A great open design. Mara asked if this was a “royal crown”. Do you know? I have not heard this term before.

Anyway, the ring sparkled at me and distracted me to no end all day. I had an embarrassing number of complements! When my nephew’s GF in NZ saw the photos, she said she will be lining up to see you when her engagement diamond is purchased later this year.

sounds like you are almost as anal as me!(30x?) now, i have to ask...........
where are the hand pics????

 

[Kaleigh]

In a word STUNNING!! I absolutely loooove that setting. Congratulations and wear it in good health!

 

[asblackrock]

Hi Belle
Oh no! Not you as well! (my dearest John occasionally mumbles something along these lines too)
Moi? Anal?? What on earth gave you two that idea? I just can't possibly imagine!

Hand pics are coming tonight - about 14 hours from now. Garry has said he will crop them for me so that I can post them. I was just too exhausted after work last night.

DiamondsRagirlsbestfriend, Fire&Ice, lop, icekid, bling, kaleigh: Many, many thanks.

Garry: I'd hang on to Johnny just for customers like me!!

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Angela!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!!! This is one of the most beautiful solitaire settings that I have EVER seen!! It is so gorgeous!! I bet it is just spectacular on your hand!!

Many Blessings!

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

The lovely Angela sent me these 6 images and has asked me to post them for her.

 

[belle]

oh, angela, it is beautiful--just perfect!! the wait was worth it!!

 

[asblackrock]

Thanks for doing this Garry,
I have just got home from work (6.30 pm Friday night) and of course the first thing I did was open up the laptop.

Most of the photos are slightly fuzzy, as a big crack on my camera screen has caused a huge dense black patch to obscure most of what I see. There is no focussing mechanism (I just have a choice of distance, intermediate or near), so I just left it on the distance setting, sticky taped a 10D lens on the front of the camera, crossed my fingers, took a few photos at various distances and picked the ones vaguely in focus. An example of how adaptable we Aussies are. Anyway, after trying to take photos of the loose diamond the same way (but with a 20D lens handheld in front), I am getting better at it. Sticky tape is a great invention!
Might I possibly need a new camera?

One of my favourite viewing angles is the profile in the bottom left. If I hold it up outside and line up the prongs, I can see the profile of the diamond and 4 patches of blue sky through the gaps – awesome!

 

[BLINGQUEEN]

NICE setting! I love the crown effect. I have never seen that before. Very unique.